I hate the way
by Libazeth
Summary: When Max leaves Seattle, she leaves her old life in the dust. But two years later, someone from her past shows up and forces her to return. MA. Complete.
1. No name for this. The 'yay the others ha...

**Heh, um… oops. Well, here we go. The first chapter—NOT the 18th.**

A/N: The beginning is a bit confusing, but I'll explain everything in ch. Two. The more people who R/R, the faster I'll post. I already have the next two parts written.

Title: Modeling and all the little perks

Summery: When Max leaves Seattle, she leaves her old life in the dust. But two years later, someone from her past shows up and changes her new view entirely.

Rating: PG- I curse in here TWICE, if that offends you then I'm sorry.

Disclaimer:  Everything you recognize isn't mine, but I DO own Tasha, Colie, Sam, and Kim. Plus I own all the little charters who will pop up here. Max, Alec, and all other characters from Max's past belong to Fox, Eglee and Cameron.

Max sighed as she dug through her apartment, looking for the purse that she had, just minutes previously, placed on the countertop. She groaned in annoyance, stomping her feet as she rushed into the hallway, then up the wide marble staircase. She stopped dead in the center of the staircase, and threw her head back.

"TASHA!" she called out, her voice revealing her nervousness and annoyance. A tall black woman, one of Max's roommates, looked out over the edge of the banister from the third floor. She smiled down at Max, and whistled softly at Max outfit. 

"Whadya need, honey?" she asked, clearly amused.

"My purse! I can't find it! Have you seen it?" Max whined, looking like a grumpy toddler who couldn't find her favorite toy.

Natasha laughed slightly under her breath, and began to walk down the stairs to Max. "You mean the lil black one, the mini bag with the beads on the front?" she began, running down the stairs. When Max nodded, Natasha slowed to a walk. "Max, babe, you are holding it."

Max looked down at the tiny bag hanging from her shoulder, and laughed. "Wow, I feel stupid."

"Not stupid," Natasha began, "just spacey. You been dreamin 'gain, Max?" Natasha gave Max a look, her eyes saying everything that her mouth wasn't. Max stopped laughing, and her face fell. Her eyes lost their pretended cheeriness, and she let her face go, loosening her almost unconscious mask. Her face showed the lines that revealed pain beyond her years, losses inconceivable to the average person, and the look of one whose life was spent solely fighting fate. Natasha felt the tears build up behind her eyes, as they always did whenever she saw the younger girl's hidden pain.

Natasha did what she always did-- the only thing she could do. She held out her arms, and wrapped Max in a hug, trying to comfort her soul though her body. Max's shoulders began to shake as she began to cry. Natasha led her over to one of the huge sofas in their mansion, and the two just sat there. Eventually, Max's crying subsided, although she didn't pull away. She sat in Natasha embrace, rocking back and forth, Natasha running her fingers through her hair. Finally, Natasha spoke. 

"You want me to call Eric, tell 'im to have the company reschedule for ya?" she offered. 

Max shook her head and sat up. "No, I need to do this today. I need a distraction. Call him and tell him I'll be late, though, cause I need to clean myself up." Max stood up, as did Natasha.

As Natasha began to walk to the phone to call their manager, Max began to walk out. As she reached the doorway, she turned around and smiled wistfully. "Thanks," she said.

[A/N: I know, this was crap. It's just setting up the story, more of a prologue than a chapter]

**_End part one: I HAVE THIS WHOLE THING WRITTEN, THE FASTER YOU REVIEW THE FASTER I'LL POST!_**


	2. buissness as usual... or is it? ::bumbum...

A/N: Here is where I explain who everyone is, where they are, and basically set up the story. As usual, R/R and I'll post. Easy deal.

Title: Modeling and all the little perks

Summery: When Max leaves Seattle, she leaves her old life in the dust. But two years later, someone from her past shows up and changes her new view entirely.

Rating: PG- I curse in here TWICE, if that offends you then I'm sorry.

Disclaimer:  Everything you recognize isn't mine, but I DO own Tasha, Colie, Sam, and Kim. Plus I own all the little charters who will pop up here. Max, Alec, and all other characters from Max's past belong to Fox, Eglee and Cameron.

Max walked out the door, but as she reached the garage, where her BMW was parked-- her baby would not have survived the trip out of Seattle, she left it with Cindy-- she heard a burst of laughter and Max sped up. As she reached the door, it flew open and three girls stumbled through. Max smiled and held out her arms, all traces of mourning gone from her face. Samantha, Kimberly, and Nicole were the other three of Max's roommates.

Kimberly Laurence was tall, and had waist-length blond hair. She was not a stereotypical ditzy blond-- she was a brilliant composer, and was a main dancer for one of the traveling ballets based in Hollywood as well. She was just returning from one of her trips, performing Swan Lake with her company at different places in France. Kimberly was actually born in France, and her slight accent was one to send many men running to her. Her family was very rich, and her relatives who lived in France were held in high regard. She was the oldest in the house; her three months held over Natasha left Kim the 'big sister' of the house.

Nicole Weavers was a singer, recording pre-pulse music, mostly soft rock. Her flaming red hair and pale skin showed her Irish heritage boldly. After the pulse, her family was left to fend for themselves. They split up, but her parents died soon after. Her mother had been a singer, and so Nicole lived for music. Her soft soprano voice was one that could lull anyone to sleep. She was the softest one in the house, and was Max's age. Because Max did not really know her birth date, and she acted older than her age, Nicole was often considered the baby. Nicole was quick to love, and the rest of the girls would take on anyone who hurt her.  Max and 'Colie' would work together sometimes, Max helping her work with her composing, using her ear for music. Whenever Colie would be singing something, or recording, Max could write it down in note form.

Samantha and Max had met through a short period where they worked at the same coffee shop, and when Max had asked her if she knew a cheap apartment building Sam had asked her to move in with the rest of the girls. Samantha was the tomboy in the house, working in and out of odd jobs, model one week, painter the next, followed by a cashier. But Sam always returned to her true love of writing. The other girls teased her, because they were lovers of fashion and she was just as happy to be out partying in a new outfit as sitting at her computer in her room wearing sweats. Sam had insisted on working her way through college by working in a tattoo parlor, despite the money her family had. Sam helped Max tattoo_ over _her barcode, a skin colored patch that hid it from the camera during shoots. Sam, ironically, was the one whose family owned the house. Her family was made of rich California natives… the rest of her family had lived scattered over the state, but few crossed the border. However, death after death occurred, and soon Sam was left alone. 

Natasha was a model, and she and Max worked for the same modeling company.

Out of the four girls who Max lived with, Natasha was her best friend. Shortly after Max moved in with the girls, Tasha had convinced her to check out modeling as a job. At first Max was wary, having always relied on being inconspicuous, but soon she learned that it was her calling. Her ability to stand still, to take orders, plus her infinitely perfect figure and looks made her the envy of all the other models and the dream of every photographer out there. Tasha had a childhood similar to Max in that she had had a harassing family. Her father beat her mother and her, and she had lost her virginity to her older brother at the young age of 15. Max and Tasha were closer than any of the others. They could almost read each other's mind, and Max was almost closer to Tasha than she was to any of her siblings.

The five girls were known as 'the sisters' to almost everyone in the small town right outside of Hollywood.  They were the envy of every woman, the want of every man, and were basically the stars of their little town. They hit a club, Shards, almost nightly. They had a credit there-- as if they needed it, if they wanted a drink a man bought them one--, knew all the varying DJs and Bartenders by name, and were recognized by every bouncer as VIPs. Whenever a new man came to town, asking for the dish on the five honeys, they always got the same answers. "Oh, you mean the sisters? They're hot, sure, but untouchable. Don't even try."  The name 'the sisters' suited them. They all knew each other's secrets, and were almost like quintuplets. They all knew about Max's history, making them the largest group of people Max had ever told at once. They were the first people Tasha ever told about her family and they were the ones who had helped Colie get over her many heartbreaks. They backed up Sam when she got the nerve to break up with her violent boyfriend, and were there for Kim when her parent's died and she couldn't get out of the country for their funeral. Despite all outward differences, they all had one thing in common… no family. They were all the end of the lines of their family-- that they knew of-- and the girls in the house were each the only family the other's had.

Max held out her arms, wrapping the three in a huge hug.  "Hey, guys," she began. They all greeted her in return, and she continued. "I have to go, I'll be late for my meeting. Tasha's inside." With that, she grabbed her keys off the desk in the corner and climber in her BMW.

An hour later, Max walked into a tall, grand building, in the center of Hollywood. She stepped up to the receptionist, and smiled at him.

"Maxine Mendoza, here to visit the Harkburg Modeling Agency?" she informed the man, her voice light, with an edge she had learned from Nicole for seducing men. The man, more a boy at his age of maybe 20, was struck speechless for a second. When Max raised an eyebrow, though, he recovered.

"Uh… hold on. I'll call them, and they'll be expecting you. Take the elevator, it's floor fourteen." He replied, his voice cracking on the word fourteen. He handed her a small sticker, one stating her name, the date, and where she was headed. Then he turned and picked up the phone.

Max smiled her thanks to his back and walked away, feeling him turn and his eyes boring into her back. They traced her body through the black mini skirt and silver halter she had chosen. She waited patently for the elevator, and by the time she reached the fourteenth floor, she was all business.

She approached the woman sitting at the desk in the center of the room, and she turned to her. The woman smiled brightly at her, taking in her tag and her outfit. The woman smiled and held out a hand. "Hello, Maxine, I'm Suzanne. It's nice to see you today."

"Right back atcha," Max replied, clearly shocking Suzanne with her slang and easygoing attitude. The receptionist smiled weakly and pushed a button on the phone.

"Sir, Ms. Mendoza is here to see you." Suzanne said into the phone.

"Fine, send her in as soon as possible." A voice drifted out of the intercom.

A voice VERY familiar voice to Max. And one that left her in shock with one thought.

'Oh damn.'

[A/N: Ooh! Cliffy! Sorry, I know, I suck for leaving you like this, but promises of a better chapter next time!]

**__**

End part two: I HAVE THIS WHOLE THING WRITTEN, THE FASTER YOU REVIEW THE FASTER I'LL POST!


	3. omg, look, it's...

A/N: Yay! The plot begins. You can stop yawning now. Blah blah, R/R, you know the deal.

Title: Modeling and all the little perks

Summery: When Max leaves Seattle, she leaves her old life in the dust. But two years later, someone from her past shows up and changes her new view entirely.

Rating: PG- I curse in here TWICE, if that offends you then I'm sorry.

Disclaimer:  Everything you recognize isn't mine, but I DO own Tasha, Colie, Sam, and Kim. Plus I own all the little charters who will pop up here. Max, Alec, and all other characters from Max's past belong to Fox, Eglee and Cameron.

Alec sat in his large office, looking out the window and wondering were he would go to party tonight after he met with this new girl.

Suzanne led a numb Max into the office where the blond man sat, feet resting on his desk. He lounged back in his chair, as he waved the two women in he took a drink of water. He raised an eyebrow a bit when he saw Max, but passed over her, taking in her short red hair. He shook his head as if to clear a memory and waited for Suzanne to introduce her.

Suzanne was the first to speak. "Sir, Maxine Mendoza is here for her meeting about modeling for Rauchford Company, and you agreed to see her for them, and do the paper work." Alec nodded and Suzanne walked out, leaving the two alone.

Max smirked to herself, thinking about how he would react when he realized it was her. She was unable to get over the shock of seeing him after so long, but she did have the upper hand. She held out a hand, smiled sweetly, and spoke.

"Nice to meet you," she began, watching in amusement as he started and fell backwards off his chair.  He scrambled to his feet, instantly regaining balance thanks to his Manticore genes. His attitude immediately returned as well, and he smiled and walked over to Max.

"Max, to what do I owe this honor? Certainly you aren't posing as a model just to see lil ol' me?" He asked, sarcasm drenching his words.

Max continued to smile, walking around him and setting his chair upright. She leaned against the arm, and retorted, "Alec, get over yourself. I AM a model, and if you blow this job for me I'll kill you."

Alec placed a hand over his heart. "Max, evil bitch of the west, whose biggest concern with fashion was whether her clothes would make Cale drool, a MODEL? Funny, never pictured you as one." He sat on his desk, facing her. His began to swing his legs, gently kicking her.

Max slid back to lay on the chair, one of the arms supporting her back while she draped her legs over the other. Her smile disappeared, and she looked at Alec with indifference. "Like I care what you think," she said blankly.

Alec looked at her wonderingly, trying to figure out what he had said to get her to willingly break the banter. Suddenly it clicked. He stopped swing his feet, hooking his legs around the chair and pulling her closer. "Something happened with Cale, didn't it?" he asked. 

Max paused wondering whether to tell him. She had told the girls, certainly, but they didn't know him. They had never seen the sparks fly, or the pain they went through not being able to touch. A few seconds later, she broke. 

"Right after you left, Logan… He didn't love me anymore. I went to get the virus cured, and when I came back… he had left me in Seattle, and disappeared. With Asha. That was a few months before I left completely—I couldn't take being there without him. And Joshua got killed by a bunch of men… in the end, it had too many memories…" she trailed off. Alec looked at her, the little girl in her showing through. He had only seen that once before, when he had come into her cell at Manticore and she had been sleeping, dreaming, probably of _him. Max grew uncomfortable, watching the emotions run through Alec's face: shock, disbelief, hatred. Max stood up to leave, positive that there was no job worth this scenario. _

Alec watched Max, not moving, but as she stood up to leave his more caring side took over. He reached out, grabbing the back of her halter, holding her still. Feeling so guilty for leaving her, hating Logan for leaving her when they had been so clearly in love a month before, knowing in his heart that she had to deal with it all alone, he let his feelings guide him. Slowly, giving her time to run, he let go of her shirt, and walked up behind her. He gently grasped her shoulders, forcing her to face him, and wrapped her in a hug. Alec closed his eyes, not knowing how she would react, hardly believing he was doing this, and not quite sure why all of his many parts were still in tact. He barely had time to register how perfect Max felt in his arms, how much he wanted to stay like this forever, when something happened that blew his mind.

Max almost unconsciously buried her head in his neck. She found herself greedily wanting the comfort he offered. She wanted someone who KNEW her, knew her past, knew Logan and how happy she had been in Seattle, she wanted all of that in someone who would comfort her. She didn't care, then, that it was Alec, that she was supposed to hate him, that if he had not blew her chances with the Manticore technician that she might still have Logan, or that they were usually at each other's throat. All she cared about was that she fit perfectly in his arms, like they were made for her. 

The two genetically engineered soldiers who had not seen each other in so long lost all sense of reality. They were so absorbed in each other's touch they did not notice Suzanne appear in the doorway. She stood there, watching the two frozen in time. Finally, realizing the two would take no notice of her any time soon, she cleared her throat. Max and Alec jumped apart, as if burned. They both were amazingly confused, wondering what had happened and how they could explain it. 

[A/N: Not as much of a cliffy as last time, but I still apologize. 

**_End part three: I HAVE THIS WHOLE THING WRITTEN, THE FASTER YOU REVIEW THE FASTER I'LL POST!_**


	4. evevator tension 101

A/N: you know what to do. R/R, I'll post, s'all good. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this, though, so if you have any ideas e-mail me at cuteepi100@hotmail.com or just comment in your reviews. This plot will be mostly setup for shipperness. And I do plan on including Logan.

Title: Modeling and all the little perks

Summery: When Max leaves Seattle, she leaves her old life in the dust. But two years later, someone from her past shows up and changes her new view entirely.

Rating: PG- I curse in here TWICE, if that offends you then I'm sorry.

Disclaimer:  Everything you recognize isn't mine, but I DO own Tasha, Colie, Sam, and Kim. Plus I own all the little charters who will pop up here. Max, Alec, and all other characters from Max's past belong to Fox, Eglee and Cameron.

Max and Alec sat in the meeting, where everyone was bored to death. Max sat across from Alec, and pondered what had changed in him. He had the same stance, the same look, the same attitude, but something in his eyes had changed. He had been so comforting today, instead of the brush off she had expected. And here he was now, helping her get this job, not teasing her at all. He was treating her with a new kind of softness. 

Almost subconsciously Max slid her leg across the floor, resting her foot next to his.  She smiled at his startled look, but suddenly is sunk in what she was doing. She was betraying Logan… no, she wasn't. There was no Logan. She had gone almost two years without hearing from him, and it still hadn't sunk in. Whenever she saw a guy ogling from a bar, she felt the pull at her heart as she remembered the times when Logan had looked at her like that. She still dreamt of him, still felt the need for his touch.  

However, Alec… all she knew was that when he held her she felt a deep comfort that even Logan had not been able to give her. Her body had replied to his touch, despite her unwillingness. It had been FAR too easy to get lost in his embrace…

Alec quietly kicked Max. She was clearly dreaming, going by her clouded eyes. She probably didn't even know she had just gotten the gig, hell, she probably didn't know who she was working for. It was all for the best, though. She probably didn't want know what these men assumed she was like, and who knows how she might have acted to a bunch of middle-aged balding men staring at her chest through her thin halter. Not that Alec was about to complain about her choice of clothes, but still. Max needed to tune in, and now. They were closing the deal.

Max quickly snapped out of her trance. Noticing all the men watching her, she floundered for an answer to the unknown question. After a few seconds, she smiled sweetly, and adopting her most seductive tone said, "I'm so sorry, I must have been dreaming for a second. What were you saying?" 

The man at the head smiled at her and replied, "We were just saying that we think we've covered everything, is there anything else you want to bring up?"

Max, startled that the meeting was already over, looked at Alec. He nodded, implying that all the terms were good, but Max still was unsure. She reached out for the file in the center of the table and quickly flipped through the pages, speed-reading and scanning through to cover the entire file in a few seconds. She found no vital issues, so she agreed. She stood up, signaling that she was finished, and the rest of the group followed. She shook hands, and let Alec guide her out. He placed his hand on the small of her back, leading her to the elevator. When they got inside and the doors closed, he removed his hand and turned to her angrily.

"Max, where were you there? I hope you don't usually space out in meetings like that! Are you alright?" he exploded.

"Alec, calm down. I don't usually act like that, but I am a _little overwhelmed at the moment! Besides, I trust you to handle this, big brother." She replied soothingly, trying to calm him. The phrase 'big brother' had just slipped out, and it was not at all accurate at describing her current rush of emotions. She inched closer to him. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed the feeling of his hand and wanted him to put it back. _

Alec, the poor man, was trying to ignore the look of Max in her little skirt and top, trying to not hear the slightly seductive tone in her voice, blocking out the feeling of her hip pressed into his at their close proximity. He was fighting to pretend she didn't just say she trusted him and called him a brother. Because, as much as he hated the fact, at the moment he did not want to be a big brother. Or any kind of relative at all. He wanted… well, it didn't matter what he wanted. But if Max got any closer, she would DEFINITLY find out what he wanted. Nevertheless, his hand got a life of it's own and slipped back around her. As he looked down at her, and she looked up, they drew closer.

As their lips were about to touch, the elevator _pinged and the doors slid open. Alec immediately pulled away, heading out the door, brushing past an elderly woman who was coming in. Max stood in the elevator, watching him, wondering when he would realize that he had gotten of three floors to early. The other woman watched him too, clearly having figured out what was wrong. As the doors slid closed, Max smiled at the older lady and grinned._

"I should wait for him in the lobby, wouldn't you say?"

The two women laughed together, a young healthy laugh and a frail weak laugh, the worldwide laughter all women share.

[A/N: Ok, this is officially NOT a cliffhanger! Aren't you proud of me? You should be.]

**_End part four: I HAVE THIS WHOLE THING WRITTEN, THE FASTER YOU REVIEW THE FASTER I'LL POST!_**


	5. return to the place once known as home

A/N: Y'all know the deal, so do it!

Title: Modeling and all the little perks

Summery: When Max leaves Seattle, she leaves her old life in the dust. But two years later, someone from her past shows up and changes her new view entirely.

Rating: PG- I curse in here TWICE, if that offends you then I'm sorry.

Disclaimer:  Everything you recognize isn't mine, but I DO own Tasha, Colie, Sam, and Kim. Plus I own all the little charters who will pop up here. Max, Alec, and all other characters from Max's past belong to Fox, Eglee and Cameron.

Max sat at the kitchen table of her home, watching the other girls eating, but not hungry. Finally Kim looked up. 

"Maxie, you need to eat. What's up?"

Max shook her head. She wasn't ready to relay the events of her meeting with Alec to the rest of her sisters. "Nothing. Just exited about getting the deal, I guess."

The others nodded, accepting her transparent excuse and not pushing. They knew she would share when she was ready.

Max sat in silence, watching the girls around her. She loved all of them, but they weren't the ones who she needed to be talking to. Seeing Alec had opened new wounds, and she needed to return to her first real home. She needed to see Original Cindy, Sketchy, Herbal and everyone from Jam Pony. She needed one last party at Crash, one last ride through the dark streets. She needed to feel her baby, to clean it, and to feel the raw power as she rode. Finally she spoke, the first real words since she had gotten home.

"I'm going back. I need to go back." The words, innocent and sudden as they were, did not take the girls by surprise. They knew Max would need to do this, but they did not push.

"I think Seattle will do you good, babe," Colie said. Sam added,

"Yeah, Max. I think you need a bit more closure."

Natasha did not speak, but stood up and wrapped Max in another hug, much like the one that had shared just that morning.

Kim had one last thing to add. "Max, do ya want one of us to go with you? Just for the trip?" 

Max gave her a grateful look, and smiled at all of them. They all knew Tasha would be the best choice, and there was only one question left.

Colie was the one to pose it. "When?" she asked.

"Tomorrow." Max replied. She and Tasha stood up and went to back, no one questioning Max.

As Max walked into her room, she picked up the cell phone on her dresser. She punched in a few numbers, Alec's phone, and pulled open a drawer as it rang.

"Hello?" Alec deep voice rang out through the phone, his annoyance at being bothered clearly evident.

"Hey," Max began.

"Max? What's up?" All previous vexation disappeared from his voice, worry becoming clear to Max. She smiled slightly to herself, trying to think of the last time Alec had cared about anyone; she couldn't think of him ever showing concern, after all, it would ruin his heartless jerk of the month attitude. Not that she should be speaking, she had her fare share of not-so-nice moments as well. She realized that Alec was _still waiting for her to speak, and so she replied._

"I'm going back to Seattle." She informed him bluntly.

"Why? Isn't that a bit self-destructive?" he sounded genuinely confused, and Max took pity on him.

"I never said goodbye." She explained.

She heard Alec start. He clearly had assumed she had left, like moved out, not left like disappeared. "Okay-" he paused. "-when are we leaving?"

"Well, one of my girlfriends is coming with me, moral support, you know."

"They don't trust me?"

"They don't know about you yet."

"Uh-huh." Alec suddenly sounded annoyed. "You do realize that you need to tell them before you leave, right? I think they deserve that."

Max agreed, knowing that she would need to tell them soon. "I'll tell them as soon as I finish packing. You should back too, and come over."

"Now? When exactly are you planning to do this?"

"Tomorrow." She informed him.

"Ok, fine. I mean, it's not like I might have anything I need to do, or any plans-"

Max cut him off. "Alec, please. I need you to be there." Her voice cracked and she found herself begging. She heard Alec sigh, and knew she had won him over. "Thank you-thank you-thank you!" she exclaimed.

"Fine. See you in an hour, okay?"

"Okay!"

"And Max?"

"Yeah?"

"You really owe me."

"_Bye, Alec." Max hung up the phone, and began pulling clothes out of drawers and throwing them onto her bed._

An hour later, Max on the floor of their studio, stretched out with her head in Kim's lap.  Kim sat back to back with Colie, who sat facing the mirror. Sam was working out, bicycling and listing to Max. Tasha was wandering around, stretching and doing yoga. Everyone but Max was silent, listening to her story of Alec and her most recent encounter with him.

Suddenly the door bell rang, and Max stood up, brushing down her t-shirt and rushing up to meet Alec.

**_End part five: I HAVE THIS WHOLE THING WRITTEN, THE FASTER YOU REVIEW THE FASTER I'LL POST!_**


	6. confrontation and beer

A/N: Here goes. Now, I am going to bring in Cindy... and I may have found a way to bring in Logan!

Title: Modeling and all the little perks

Summery: When Max leaves Seattle, she leaves her old life in the dust. But two years later, someone from her past shows up and changes her new view entirely.

Rating: PG- I curse in here TWICE, if that offends you then I'm sorry.

Disclaimer: Everything you recognize isn't mine, but I DO own Tasha, Colie, Sam, and Kim. Plus I own all the little charters who will pop up here. Max, Alec, and all other characters from Max's past belong to Fox, Eglee and Cameron.

Max sat in the driver's seat of the car, bored to death. After the first hour, she had decided to give up on trying to give Alec a heart attack. He was, after all, an X5, and knew she wouldn't do anything she couldn't handle with her enhanced reflexes. Tasha, however, had not seen this side of Max before, and her endless shrieking was the reason Max had stopped. Now, hours later and in the dead of night, they pulled into the border check to get into Seattle. Max stopped the car, and wordlessly slid into the back with the now sleeping Tasha. Alec turned on the car, and slowly drove up to the sector guards.

"Hey," one guard approached. From the backseat, Max could smell the alcohol on his breath. Alec, always the operator, took this opportunity to buddy up to the man.

"Hey there. We're lookin to get into Seattle, I bet you can help us."

The man grinned, spying the two apparently sleeping girls in the back. "Yeah, sure. I need some ID, though." As Alec reached for his pass, the man leered at he girls and continued. "Who are these pretty ladies?"

Alec grinned as he handed over the ID. "My sisters, Anna and Sarah." Max smiled to herself as the man grinned at Alec and took his pass to inspect it. As he ran his flashlight over it, checking it, Max sat up. She could remember last time they ran this scene; it always worked.

"Alex, are we there yet?" Max let a seductive whine slip into her voice.

"Not yes, Sarah, but we're almost in Seattle." Alec spoke as if speaking to a small child. 

Max pretended to look out the window and just notice the man watching her. She smiled sweetly at him, and turned back to Alec, her arm snaking around his waist as she leaned out the window. 

"Oh, right. Sorry, Alex, I must be _real tired. I wanna go find a hotel with a real bed." Max blinked, and turned to the man. "Hi!" she said, "My name is Sarah. I'm Alex's sister. I'm __real tired, so can we get into Seattle, mister?" she questioned him._

He handed Alec back his card and grinned at him, a smile between the two guys. "Y'all go right ahead, no problems here."

***

"I HATE HIM!" Max informed Tasha. She paced around the small hotel room, ranting. Alec was nowhere in sight-he had left to run an 'errand' and Tasha hadn't asked any questions.

"Why do you hate him, Max?" Tasha replied rationally.

"I hate the way he looks at me! I hate the way he has a comeback for every comment, the way his mind can read into mine. I hate how I feel around him... I hate how he can make me feel. I hate how being in a room with him is enough to make my knees weak, but it doesn't affect him... I hate his stupid hair and his stupid eyes and I hate his looks, and I hate how he can brush up against me and set me on fire. I hate how he can push me, I hate him because he can control me and I can't say no to him. I hate how he makes me want him but he never seems to want me. I hate everything about him." Max ranted, breathing heavily.

"So you hate the fact you love him?" she asked.

"YES!" Max exploded, and froze when she realized what had just said. "I mean, I don't- it's not like- " Max argued weakly. Finally, giving up, she gestured out into the hall. "It doesn't matter. He's... him." She sat down, tired from the rush of emotions.

Tasha looked at her. "Max, why don't we hit a club? I bet you know some good ones around here."

Max nodded and stood up. "That sounds good. We can go to Crash."

***

  
Max pulled into an parking lot, turning off the car. Tasha climbed out, and Max followed. She locked the bike up and turned to go into the bar.

Max took a deep breath as she entered the bar, welcoming the familiar sights. Tasha was behind her, and tapped Max on the sholder. "Hon, you go do your thing, I'm gonna get a beer." Max nodded and headed off.

Tasha was left on the stairs, looking around. She noticed a dark skinned girl staring at her. She shook her head, and headed to a nearby table. The woman stood up and headd over to her, smiling slightly.

"Hey, girl." She said as she approached. "You all alone?"

Tasha shook her head. "You offerin' to help?"

The woman smiled. "Always out to help a honey in need."

As Tasha went to reply, Max appeared behind the girl. "Tasha, makin' friends already?"

The woman seemed to freeze, but Tasha ignored it. "You know it, Max."

The woman turned around slowly. Max froze. "Uh... hi Cindy." She said weakly.

Cindy looked at Max coldly. "Hello, Max."

Max looked down. "Cindy, how are you?"

Tasha blinked. "Wait, _you're_ Cindy? Original Cindy?"

Cindy nodded. "Yeah, who are you?"

Tasha held out her hand. "Friend of Max's, from California."

It was Cindy's turn to blink. "California, Max? Felt the need to leave the state?"

Max nodded. "Hey, I coulda gone to Maine." She grinned weakly.

Cindy sighed. "Yeah, I guess. So, what are you doing back here?"

Tasha reached out to place her hand on Max's arm, comforting her with the simple touch. "I wanted to say goodbye. To you, and the guys-"

Cindy interrupted. "And Logan?"

Max blinked. "Logan? No. He's gone, why would I need to say goodbye? Did he come back?"

Alec walking in interrupted her. He came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist, the gesture making her shiver; it brought back memories of last night.

**flashback**

Max sat straight up in bed, noting that the bed she shared with Tasha was next to an empty one where Alec had been. She climbed out of bed, pacing, loosing track of time as she thought aimless thoughts. Suddenly, the door opened and Max spun to see Alec walk in.

_"Max, what are you doing?" he asked._

_"I couldn't sleep," she replied. "Where were you?"_

_Alec blinked at her. "I needed a shower, sorry." He walked past her to climb into his bed._

_Max watched him. "I'm sorry Alec, I'm just a little tense."_

_Alec nodded. "I noticed... come here."_

_Max looked at him, and back at the sleeping Tasha. Well, she thought, Tasha needs sleep. I don't want to risk waking her up, I guess._

_Max walked over to Alec, and he pulled back the bedspread. "Just sleep, Max. Nothing funny, I promise. I won't touch you." He said, trying to calm her fears._

_Max climbed into bed next to him, sliding closed until her back was against his stomach. "Max?" he asked, confused._

_Max closed her eyes. "Alec, just hold me, okay?"_

_She felt Alec nod, and he spooned their bodies together. "Better?"_

_Max nodded. "Don't leave, please."_

**end**

"--and so Logan came back-"

Max started. "Logan came back?!"

Cindy looked at her. "He did, about a month after you left-- but then one night..." she trailed off, unable to continue.

Alec held onto Max. "What, Cindy-is he okay?"

Cindy nodded, trying to calm their fears. "Yes, he's fine. But Asha... she got hurt one night, trying to do some S1W work, and she ended up dying a day later."

Max gasped. "And Logan; he's really alright, still?"

Cindy shook her head sadly. "Physically, yes. But he's so depressed... I just don't know. She _was_ his wife."

Max felt her knees go weak, and she fell back into Alec's steadying arms. She turned to him. "He MARRIED her? Alec, we need to go; I need to see him; she died, his wife; oh my god..." she stuttered incoherently.

Alec nodded and helped her to her feet. HE turned to Tasha, who had been standing in a corner watching this occur. "Tasha, why don't you stay here? We'll come back later... Cindy, still Foggle Towers?"

Cindy nodded, and Alec led Max out of the bar.

**__**

**_End part six: I HAVE THIS WHOLE THING WRITTEN, THE FASTER YOU REVIEW THE FASTER I'LL POST!_**


	7. hugs for the needy, smacks for the bad

A/N: Last chap, I think! I was originally going to have Logan die, but I figured my friend would never forgive me, killing him twice, so instead I killed Asha.

Title: Modeling and all the little perks

Summery: When Max leaves Seattle, she leaves her old life in the dust. But two years later, someone from her past shows up and changes her new view entirely.

Rating: PG- I curse in here TWICE, if that offends you then I'm sorry.

Disclaimer: Everything you recognize isn't mine, but I DO own Tasha, Colie, Sam, and Kim. Plus I own all the little charters who will pop up here. Max, Alec, and all other characters from Max's past belong to Fox, Eglee and Cameron.

Max led Alec up to the penthouse of Logan's building. She walked to his door and rang the bell, hanging onto Alec's arm for support. However, when Logan answered the door, she let go of Alec and threw herself at him. 

"Logan," she cried, "I'm so sorry about Asha." She hugged him tightly, no qualms about not seeing him for so long, no madness at him for leaving her... simple, undiluted sympathy for the man who she had loved and was once her best friend.

He pulled away, a minute later, and she gasped when she saw his face, aged with pain and scarred by the hardballs thrown by life. "Logan... my god."

Logan stared at her. "Max?" he finally asked. "Alec?"

Max nodded and ran her fingers up his arm, a tear running down her cheek. "I came back to say goodbye... and I found Cindy, she told me..." Logan nodded and pulled away.

"Max, Alec, come in. Please." Logan was quite overwhelmed... his old best friend, his old crush, had just appeared on his doorstep, out of the blue, launched herself at him, and was seeping in tears about his dead wife. Not an everyday thing, anymore. Once it wouldn't have shocked him, but when he came back and she was gone he never expected things like that to happen again.

Max stepped in, and Alec follow, uncomfortable. He stepped up to Max and whispered in her ear, loud enough for Logan to hear, "I'll leave you alone, go get Tasha."

Logan interrupted, the level of comfort between the two not passing him. "Alec, Max, you can crash here... so can Tasha, whoever she is."

Max nodded at Alec and turned to face him. "Sure, go get her." She turned back to Logan. "Tasha's one of my roommates."

Alec nodded and turned to leave. Max reached out to touch his arm, and whispered something in his ear that Logan couldn't catch.

Alec walked out, and Max turned to Logan. "How are you?"

Logan smiled. "I'm fine, really. No matter what Cindy told you, I'm fine."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Mr. I'm Alright, how are you really?"

Logan shrugged. "It's hard, Max. It is. But I'm fine, I'm over my depression."

Max smiled and gave Logan another quick hug. "That's good." She stepped back. "You look good, Logan."

Logan grinned back at her. "So do you, Max." he paused. "So, where'd you go?"

Max looked down. "New York." She muttered. Logan reached out to tilt her head up towards him. "Did you have any clue that's where Alec went?" he asked gently.

Max shook her head. "No, found him a business meeting... he was my agent." Logan laughed.

"Oh, that mush have been great."

Max smirked. "If you mean great as in he fell off his chair and practically had a heart attack, then yeah... wait, how did you know where Alec went?"

Logan held up his hands. "Hey, someone needed to get him an identity."

Max hit his arm. "You _knew_ where he went and you didn't tell me?" she shrieked.

Logan shrugged again. "You didn't ask." He pointed out. 

Max paused, thinking. "Guess not."

Logan laughed and raped her hand. "Come on, let me start food for you all... does Tasha know about Manticore?" he asked suddenly.

Max nodded. "All my roommates do." Logan nodded.

As he set himself up in the kitchen, Max watched him. Suddenly, he spoke. "What's the deal with you and Alec?" he asked.

Max froze, trying to gauge his tone. He wasn't jealous, she thought, just curious. 

"I'm not really sure," she began. "I'm attracted to him, I know, but it's just... weird. He's-he's like, I mean, I was so set in hating him I never got to know him, and now I relize-"

Logan cut her off. "That's he's a good guy?" Max nodded. Logan walked over to her, and hugged her. Their hugs now held no passion, no romance or sparks, just friendship and respect. "Max, Alec is a great kid. He's good for you, I think. You guys would be perfect together."

Max looked at him. "What do you mean, he's a great 'kid'?" 

Logan paused, thinking out his answer. "Max, he's 22, you're 21. You're kids, compared to most people. Not in mind or experiences, but in general you are kids. I mean, I'm 34; you're two thirds of my age. It's not a bad thing, but I think you two need to experience love in a teenage way more than an adult way for now-"

Alec, opening the door, interrupted him. "WE'RE BACK!" he called.

Logan smiled at Max. "In here, Alec."

Alec came in, Tasha behind him. Tasha waved. "Hey."

Logan held out a hand. "Nice to meet you, Natasha. I'm Logan Cale."

Tasha blinked at him and stared at Max. Max smiled and nodded. Tasha looked at Logan again, cocked her head, turned to look at Alec, back to Max, and finally back to Logan. "Hi." She stated, then paused. "I'm debating whether or not to smack you right now." She announced.

Max cracked up. "Tasha, no. I can handle him, okay?"

Tasha grinned. "Okay, hon. If you say so."

Alec walked up behind Max. "Logan, do I smell food?"

Logan grinned. "That you do, Alec."

Max turned to Tasha. "Tasha, Logan is the most _amazing _chef you will _ever_ meet."

Logan bowed. "Tasha, you look beat. DO you want to go lie down? These two tend to forget that the rest of us need to sleep."

Tasha grinned. "Logan, I like you. Where can I crash?"

Logan turned to Max. "Max, you show her, okay?"

Max nodded and led Tasha out. She returned a minute later, looking from Alec to Logan. "What did I miss?" she asked.

Alec shook his head. "Nothing," he informed her. "Logan and I were just talking.

Max raised an eyebrow. "Uh-_huh_." She said. Logan shrugged innocently.

Max stuck her tongue out at him and reached behind to grab Alec's arms. She wrapped them around her waist, pulling him to her. "I'm cold," she informed him.

Alec grinned. "Not complaining." He retorted.

Logan just laughed, and turned back to the stove. When he felt Max staring at him, he laughed again. "You two are really cute together, you know?"

He turned to watch their reaction. Max snuggled back against Alec's stomach and Alec just winked at Logan, and said two words. 

"We know."

**_THE END... OR IS IT? possible ch 8 if you review... c'mon, you know you want it!_**


	8. paintings with artistic resemblance

A/N I: OKAY, THIS WILL BE THE END! HONESTLY! **THE END! **

A/N II: Then again, I don't know… if I feel inspired maybe a sequel? Hell, at least an epilogue for all the poor people expecting real shippersness who didn't get it. You know what inspires me? Reviews.

A/N III: Wow, thanks to all the WONDERFUL WONDERFUL people who reviewed! I love you! I never thought I'd get this many reviews.

A/N IV: I made a comment about California and then New York… originally it was New York, but I changed it. Not that it'll have any real revelance.

A/N V: Aren't authors notes annoying? I could just go on, and on, and on…

A/N VI: See what I mean?

A/N VII: **_REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**

Max sank to the ground as she let out a particularly loud sob. She reached out, touching the gravestone that marked Joshua's grave. An innocent rock set next to a piece of concrete. Joshua and Isaac. Two brothers, the first two, the ones who endured the most, the ones who led to the creation of the rest—they were finally, truly, together again. She sobbed again, resting her head on the ground, arms around her knees.

A hand reached out to rest on her back. She sniffed, trying to stop crying, but continued to look at the ground. "How did you know I was here?" she asked.

Alec sat down beside her. "Logan," he informed her.

Max nodded and leaned back on him, scooting between his legs to rest against his chest. Alec smiled at her and stroked her hair. "Max, are you okay?"

Max shook her head. "He knew so much… he was so innocent… he didn't deserve to die."

Alec nodded. "He saw what we couldn't, didn't he? He saw a lot more than we thought."

Max wiped a tear from her face. "He… he told me 'the only person Alec fools is Alec.' He made me think again, look deeper at you. Then, with Rachel… I knew he was right."

Alec stilled. They had never spoken of Rachel—one of the many things they hadn't gotten too. He grasped her hand and held it tightly. He thought back to the night he had found Joshua with Max asleep in his apartment.

**Flashback**

__

Alec sighed as he looked at Joshua. "Whatcha painting, Josh?"

Joshua smiled. "Max."

Alec looked at the painting critically. "Very abstract."

Joshua gestured. "Max… Max tries to be open, like the colors, but inside she is close. Haunted. Darkness, dark memories, dark past. Max tries to protect others to protect herself. Needs to realize not everyone leaves."

Alec nodded. "Whatever you say, Josh."

**end**

Alec let go of her hand and wrapped her in a hug. "And Max needs to realize that not everyone leaves."

Max looked at him in shock. "What?"

Alec held her tighter. "Joshua said that."

Max shook her head. "God… he was right. I though everyone WOULD leave. And then… well, first there was Eva, Tinga, and Ben, and Jace, and Brin; Kendra and Herbal… then Zack, and my hope with Logan… then you, and Logan for real, and Joshua… but—"

Alec cut her off. "But then we started coming back."

Max nodded. _"You_ came back." They sat there in silence. Max stilled, the tears long since stopped, and as she laid again Alec she relaxed. Alec listened to her breath, finally saying, "We should go inside."

Max nodded and let him lead her into the empty house that was Joshua's home.

::the next morning::

Max rolled over, away from the warm pillow that was Alec. She stood up, looking around the rundown apartment. She sighed as she climbed out of bed, pulling her shirt around her body. 

She found herself wandering down to the basement, walking through the dusty corners looking at the treasures. The piano, the books, the paintings… an artistic dream. She paused in front of a picture, one that she thought she recognized. Ah, yes. Joshua's picture of Alec, she realized. She continued walking around, but a few minutes later she heard Alec walking down the stairs. He slid up behind her, hugging her. "What're you doing?"

Max swallowed back her fresh tears. "Looking at his pictures."

Alec nodded. "Mmm. He ever show you the picture of you?"

Max shook her head. "No, I never saw it."

Alec cocked his head. "Really? He was so proud of it."

Max shrugged. "Never got to it, I guess. I never asked. I saw the one of you, though."

Alec raised his eyebrows. "Really? Guess Josh wasn't big on the whole sharing thing with the subjects."

Max pulled away. "I saw his one of you over there-" she gestured, "-so why don't you go find the one of me and we can share?"

Alec nodded and they each went hunting for the paintings. Max found his quickly, and soon after Alec called, "Got it!"

They rushed to meet each other in the middle of the dark basement, each holding the paintings close to their bodies, only showing the back of the frame.

Alec took a deep breath. "On three."

Max nodded. "One…" I wonder how Joshua saw me, she wondered. He knew about me, about my hopes and all the things I never told anybody else.

Alec gripped the painting tighter. "Two…" God, do I want to know how Josh saw me? Alec thought darkly. He was the one who I told everything to, my only real friend.

"Three!" they said in unison as the flipped the paintings for the other to see.

They stood there, in shock. Neither could do anything but stare at the two paintings-- one simple fact that made their minds spin and their hearts stop.

They were identical.

****

A/N VIII: Grr! Stupid, stupid muse! Ah, well, stay tuned till next time, when I WILL finish this!


	9. poof to the future!

A/N: To prevent further insanity and to finish this story, I am going to fast forward to a few months later. Max returned to CA.

Max groaned as Sam bounced into her room. "MAX!" she yelled,

Max sat up, glaring at Sam. "Sam, I haven't slept in six days. Even _I_ get tired sometimes."

Sam grinned at her. "And whose fault is that?"

Max slowly climbed out of her bed. "What are you implying, Sam?"

Sam grinned. "That you found something to keep you tired enough, and you shouldn't yell at me since Alec went away for the week and you can't sleep due to unresolved--"

Max made a face and cut her off. "Is there something you wanted, Sam?"

Sam grinned. "Oh yeah," she said innocently. She pulled a phone from behind her hack. "You have a call!"

Max gasped and grabbed the phone, sending Sam a look that said she was about to kill her. Sam grinned and ran out of the room.

"Hello?" she asked, wondering if the person was even still on the line.

"Hi Max." a deep voice rang over the line.

Max squealed and sat down on the bed. "Logan!"

She heard him laugh. "Wow, I never realized how high-pitched you could get when exited."

Max blushed. "What can I say? I'm a girl at heart."

"Yeah, well, some of us would like to keep out eardrums in one piece, Max."

Max stood up and began to pace around the room. "Shut up." 

"Fine. I take it things are well with Alec?"

Max blushed. "I didn't know she had the phone."

She heard Logan chuckle again. "So I guessed."

"So, what's up?" Max tried to change the subject.

Logan sighed over the line. "Well, something happened and I had to get out of Seattle for a while."

"What?" Max asked worriedly.

"Some guys digging around, wanting to find Eyes Only again." he replied.

Max nodded, forgetting he couldn't see her. "So where are you?"

"In California." he replied smugly. 

"Where?" Max asked excitedly.

Logan paused. "Little bit south."

"How far?"

Max heard Logan, pause, thinking. Finally he chuckled and said, "About 20 feet."

Max ran over to the window, and sure enough, three floors below her stood Logan. She hung up and dropped the phone on the bed, running out to greet him.

As she ran down the stairs she almost crashed into Nicole, who was carrying a pile of linens. Max wrinkled her nose. "Sorry, Colie."

Nicole grinned and readjusted her hold on the sheets. "S'fine, girl. Go see Logan."

Max's jaw dropped. "Did everyone know about this except me?"

Nicole smiled. "Pretty much."

Max stuck out her tongue- "Nya!"- and continued to Logan. When she finally reached him she found him standing in the front hall. 

She grinned and launched herself at him, wrapping him in a huge hug. As he hugged her back she pulled away, slapping his arm. "_How_ did you not tell me you were coming?!"

Logan grinned. "Hey, it's _so_ not my fault. I didn't even _know_ I was coming until two days ago."

Max smiled and led him into the living room, where she had cried over him only three months before. How strange how quickly things can change, she thought, but how great things can turn around. "Okay, you can't just leave that hanging. Elaborate, please."

Logan grinned and sat down. "Alec showed up, told me you might like a visit."

Max grinned to herself, her face lighting up. "What is Alec doing, anyway? He wouldn't tell me."

"Top secret, apparently. When I asked he wouldn't tell me either," he replied.

Max suddenly stood up. "You know when he's coming back?"

Logan glanced at his watch. "Soon."

Max raised her eyebrows. "How soon?"

Logan shrugged. "This afternoon-ish."

Max jumped up. "_Why _is everybody not telling me anything?" she paused. "I mean, why won't anybody the me anything." She shook her head. "You know what I mean."

Logan laughed and stood up too. "Come, let me distract you."

Max grinned and grabbed his arm. "Like, food distracting?"

Logan smiled. "Hmm, I don't know…"

Max pulled him out. "No kidding, Logan, I miss your food so much. Come on, kitchen is this way."

Logan let her pull him down the wall. "Nice to know my meal ticket job hasn't been replaced." He said cuttingly. Max snorted. 

"You mean by Alec? Are you insane?"

Logan couldn't help but to chuckle as well. "This from the girl who can hardly boil water?"

Max turned around to face him. "At least I can turn an oven on." 

"Am I ever going to live that down?"

Max paused. "No, probably not."

Logan gasped sarcastically. "Hey, who is cooking here?"

Max didn't grace him with an answer.


	10. X5 shock and tomato face paint

A/N: You know what? I'm giving up on finding the ending point. I have a basic idea now of where this story is going, and what was 7 now is on part 10/17. At best. And that'll probably end up with a sequel. Maybe. If I'm not old or dead by then. I mean, this was supposed to be SHORT. But have you ever heard of 'cooperative muses'? No? Neither have I.

Disclaimer: Time to repost this. Not mine, never was, never will be. Know how you can be sure? Cause otherwise every shot of Alec would be shirtless.  It's all Fox, Cameron, Eglee, and everybody else. If you want names go watch the credits.

:: Warning: This chapter was written mostly at 10:30 pm while procrastinating studying for a history and algebra test the next day. Al insanity can be blamed on my teachers, not me. Well, okay, so it is me, but they are the people at fault for now. I don't feel like dealing with it. ::****

Max sat at the kitchen table with Tasha and Colie on either side, Kim having gone off on an errand and Sam talking to Logan about some journalism thing in great detail. Max grinned as she watched them, poking Tasha and pointing to them. Tasha grinned back, but suddenly laughed. Max blinked and looked at her, wondering what that was. She grinned and picked up her napkin waving it in the air.

"Max, hon, go check a mirror."

Max put down her fork and walked over to the bathroom, seeing a smudge of tomato sauced right above her left eyebrow. She cracked up as she washed it off and came back in. "How did I do that?"

A man appeared in the doorway and a deep voice behind her answered. "I don't know, Maxie," it said as strong arms slid around her waist. Max gasped and turned around, pulling the owner of the voice's face to hers in a quick kiss. "Well, hello to you to." He whispered against her lips. She grinned.

"Shut up." She whispered back and captured his lips again for a much longer kiss.

Someone behind them coughed. "Alec, nice to see you, but enough PDA please. I'm gonna be sick." Tasha requested.

Max laughed softly and pulled away. Alec placed one last kiss on the top of her head and turned to face the rest of them.

"Hey, Tasha, Cole, Sam." He said, addressing each of them in turn. Then, his deep voice laughing, he added "Logan! How nice to see you! What are you doing here?"

Logan laughed. "Alec, the fact I'm here has already been blamed on you."

"It's a bad thing?" he asked innocently. Max wrapped his arms around her tighter, basking in the feel of safeness and rightness that he brought out.

"No, it's not a bad thing. Not at all."

Alec smiled. "Glad to hear it."

Max suddenly pulled away, "Alec." She began.

"Yeah Max?"

"Don't you need to unpack?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah. I need to unpack."

Max grinned at his seductively. "I'll help you unpack."

Alec grinned back boldly. "I could use the help."

Sam laughed, watching them. "You two, go."

As Max and Alec walked off he slipped his arm around her waist. Nicole grinned and turned to Logan. 

"We won't see them for a while." She said seriously, right before bursting into giggles.

***

Max grinned as Alec put down his bag, walking over to her. He lowered his head to hers. "You gonna help me unpack now?"

Max stood on her toes and kissed him lightly. "You sure that's what you want me to help with?"

Alec smirked. "Temping as that offer is, I need to unpack."

Max pulled away, disappointed. "Alec…" she whined.

He grinned and tossed her a duffel bag. "Unpack this." He said as he hoisted the larger suitcase onto the bed.

Max sighed as she dumped the contents onto the king sized bed. She began to sort things out… toothbrush, comb, shampoo, pen, journal, address book, jewelry box… she paused and picked it up.

"Alec," she began teasingly, "is this for me?"

Alec grinned and took it from her. He sat on the bed, pulling her to him. "That it is, Maxie." 

Max smiled in anticipation. "Ooh, I love jewelry."

Alec smiled opened the box, and Max froze. One word rang out in the air, high pitched, indignant and brimming with shock. 

"_WHAT?_" 

Alec bit his bottom lip, nervous. He repeated his request. "Marry me, Max."

A/N: Short, I know. I'm going away for the weekend, which is when I get most of my time to write, so it'll be a bit until I update. Review, and I might be persuaded to bring my mom's laptop with me and work on the 6 hr car trip. Sorry 'bout the cliffy… wait, no I'm not. Oh well. 


	11. Bum-Bum-BUM

A/N: This story wrote itself, and for those of you who don't like it PLEASE keep reading… there IS a happy ending… in fact, the happy ending is already written—the last paragraph at lease. Anyway, I felt the story needed a PLOT so this just… came along. If you REALLY, REALLY hate it say so in your review and I have a way to fix it and make it the shippery fluff it was going to be for three more chapters.

"Max?" Alec asked worriedly. 

Max stared at him, then pulled away. "_ALEC!_" she screeched, "_YOU'RE INSANE! WE'RE ESCAPEES FROM A SECRET GOVERNMENT AGENCY! WE'RE WANTED DEAD BY THE GOVERNMENT, FOR THAT MATTER! WE'RE YOUNG AND SILLY AND NOT READY! WE CAN'T GET MARRIED! WE'RE NOT CITIZENS! WE'RE NOT FULLY HUMAN! WE'RE JUST **NOT**!_" she paced around the room, forced to stop only by a need for oxygen. 

Alec stood up, his voice calm for all appearances—but the kind of forced calm that said he was trying very hard not to kill her. "Max, I love you, okay? I love you! So naturally, I thought 'well, since I love her I might as well act on it before I loose the courage!' This, clearly, was the WRONG idea, because you clearly AREN'T interested! I _ASSUMED_ you loved me too, considering the way we are, but I was _WRONG_! So _EXCUSE_ _ME_ for human error—_WHICH_ _I_ _AM_," his voice steadily rose. "I am human, Max. _YOU_ taught me that, _YOU_ told me we were more than soldiers, _YOU SAID THAT WE WERE HUMAN AND HAD RIGHTS JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE!_ So _CLEARLY_ that had _LIMITATIONS_ because you're using that to say no! It's an _EXCUSE_, Max, because you're _SCARED_!"  He took a deep breath. "You're _SCARED_, Max, you're _SCARED_ that it'll change everything and that I'll leave you heartbroken! Well, Max, let me tell you something. _I AM JUST AS ROYALLY SCREWED UP AS YOU, AND YET HERE I AM, PROPOSING TO YOU, IN WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A ROMANTIC MOMENT_, but that's _CLEARLY_ too much to ask, because you just can't _GIVE_ that much. You can love, care, and worry, but you can't _COMMIT_, Max. Pasta over passion… I went and acted, thinking you were over that, but **_APPARENTLY NOT_**!" he took a deep breath, forcing himself to stop. He was unable to keep in the last comment, however. "So much for damn the consequences," he murmured mostly to himself. "I wasn't ready to give up this much." He continued, referring the tears he watched forming in Max's eyes. 

Max sighed and said, almost too quietly to be heard, "Alec, I'm sorry—"

He cut her off and his voice softened in volume but the harsh edge remained. "No-- I'm sorry, Max. Forget I asked, okay? Forget this happened."

He stood up to leave but Max grabbed his arm, forcing him to face her. "Alec, you can't _do_ that!" she whined.

Alec looked at her, confused. "I said forget it—"

Max shook her head and put her hand over his mouth, effectively shutting him up. "No, Alec. I mean, you can't change my mind and then say no."

Alec swallowed visibly, afraid to think about where this was going. Seeing that he wasn't about to interrupt, Max removed her hand and continued. "Alec, you're right. I'm sorry; it's just… a reflex. Commitment equals pain, destruction, and all kinds of bad stuff. I'm like the average guy times one hundred. It's the one thing Zack drilled into me that stayed. I just…need a while. To get used to the idea."

Alec looked at Max, drawn to her deep chocolate eyes. She saw in his face his thought back to the times he had been with her, when she had had panic attacks and forced herself to stay calm. Max sighed inaudibly. It was just such a big step, engagement. She could always calm herself with the steady mantra—it's a fling, an infatuation, it won't last. That was the mantra keeping her sane, alive, and able to remain in Alec's arms. Plus, to make it worse, he had said he loved her. That brought everything a lot closer. It was like being attacked in a glass room and them suddenly having all the walls turn to flimsy screen. And when—_if—_she could bring herself to say it back, it would be like knocking down all the walls and having your only defense be to run for your life in the other direction.

Alec smiled sadly. "Max, I'm sorry… take the ring, okay? Not an engagement ring, just a piece of jewelry. From me to you."

Max just stared at him. 

Alec stood up, upsetting the pile of clothing he had abandoned. He stuffed the box and marched out, leaving Max in the room alone.

As Max sat in the room crying, Logan entered quietly. Tasha was trailing close behind him. He sat down beside her, looking at her face. She refused to look for him until he reached put and forced her head up. Tasha, who had been watching all of this silently, saw Max's face and turned to leave. The tearstains were too much for her to see; Logan could calm Max, and she could go kill Alec.

Logan sighed. "Max, what happened?"

"He proposed."

"And the bad part…" Logan sounded immensely confused.

Max glared at him. "Logan, he PROPOSED! He's not supposed to do that! We're not supposed to commit so that we can drop everything and run!"

"But wouldn't you both need to run if the time came? Couldn't you run together?"

Max groaned. "But it's a big step. I can't handle it. We'll go insane, Logan. We weren't built to love anyone, especially each other."

"But everyone you know you've let him close, and why would him proposing make it any more real? Max, marriage is simply a way to show your love for each other."

"It's a _statement, _Logan,that we won't hurt each other and that we'll stay together… that we're ready to say to the world 'we love each other and can handle whatever you throw at us' when we _can't, _Logan, we _can't_ handle what they throw at us. We'll put down our guard and then they'll strike I might lose him."

Logan sighed. "Max, you have to have faith in each other. You're strong enough to handle yourself alone, so the two of you should be unstoppable."

"But we won't be! We'll depend on each other and then we'll get caught!"

"Because emotions are weakness?"

Max nodded violently. "_Yes, _Logan. They are."

Logan looked at her, staring into her eyes. "But by believing that aren't you acting on everything you hate?"

Max paused, thinking, as images and clips of memories flew past her. Zack saying that she needed to leave; that Logan would betray her; that her emotions would get him killed. Tinga, cold and dead in Max arms as Lydecker's men surrounded them. Lydecker saying emotions are weak; yelling about how showing emotions is the way our opponent will overcome you, that feelings are the depiction of human error a the 7 year olds standing straight in a row. Flashing images: emotion=weakness, sentiment=pain, ect. as they sat in straight-backed chairs. 

Max groaned. "I totally blew it, didn't I?"

Logan reached over to brush her hair behind her ear. "Max, go talk to him."

As Max reached over to hug Logan, Sam rushed in. "MAX!" When she saw their proximity, however, she paused. Max looked at her and gestured sharply for her to continue.

"Max, Alec just took off in your BMW. Said not to expect him to come back and just… left. We didn't get a chance to say anything… he was out the door before it even registered."

A/N: Again, R/R, don't loose faith please!


	12. Chick Flicks solve all

Max sighed as she climbed out of the car, stretching her legs. Nicole wandered out. Seeing her, she rushed to meet Max. "Max, you have to stop."

Max just shook her head. 

Nicole gripped her shoulders, tears of worry forming. "Max, you can't _do_ this to yourself! You leave every night and return every morning, you won't tell any of us where you're going, and even Logan can't get you to look him in the eye. You haven't talked to any of us, really, since he left. One week, Max, one week where you don't speak to any of us. Sam is worried to death, so am I, and Logan and Tasha are hardly sleeping. If he is going to come back, he'd do it on his own; you have to get on with your life."

Max tried to push past Colie, but the younger girls passion and Max's weakness had balanced them out. 

"Well, Max?"

Max looked up. She looked at the girl, and saw Sam peeking out from the door. She saw the lines of worry on both their faces, and knew they were right. "He said…" her voice cracked, a result of not speaking. "He said he wouldn't hurt me."

And she began to sob.

***

Logan walked into her room and saw her sitting there, so small in her bed, fragile, and he felt the protection of a friend, a father, and an older brother. A group of people rolled into one, with a simple desire that this girl's tears brought out, a violent side of him that was so rarely seen, the parental, protective, possessive feeling over her that made him want to get rid of what had hurt her—not to kill Alec, per say, as that would hurt her more, but to go find him and drag him back here to make him explain himself to her.  Not that he could say he didn't understand; he had done his fare share of withdrawing, hiding, and hurting. But with Max, now, it was so different. Hypocritical, he knew, and he would of done the same thing if Asha had said no, but it was Alec and Max was under such unusual circumstances.

"Logan?" Max asked gently. He shook himself out of his inner monologue and realized she had been watching him for a while.

He smiled. "Sorry. Tasha sent me to see if you wanted to go see some chick flick with her and the other girls. Some movie filmed pre-pulse but they never got around to releasing.  Horribly sad."

"Not interest in coming, Logan?"

He wrinkled his nose. "Nah, I'm more of a action or really stupid humor kind of person."

Max laughed out loud, still a weak sound but rewarding nonetheless. "Dear god, Logan Cale _does_ have some testosterone in him!"

Logan looked at Max in amused shock, a sarcastic 'humph' passing his lips.

Max settled back against the cushions of her bed, sighing. "It'd do you good, Max." he pointed out.

"I'll go if you come."

"Ooh, blackmail. You're reverting back to your evil ways, Max."

"Obviously I haven't been spending enough time with the leader of the Logan Cale brigade for widows, children, and small animals."

"Obviously not."

Max grinned triumphantly. "So you'll come."

Logan blinked. "What?" He thought back. "Max!" he exclaimed. Secretly, though, he was pleased. Max was getting back to being herself, and it had been two weeks since Alec left. She was beginning to leave the house sometimes and wasn't moping nearly as much.

Max stuck out her tongue. "Hey, not my fault your loosing your touch."

"Maybe you're just getting more cynical."

"Oh, shut up." Max said. She paused as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "Wait, what movie anyway?"

It was Logan's turn to pause. "Uh… Drive Me Crazy 2, I think."

Max grinned and bounced up. "Are you kidding? How can you _not_ want to see that?"

Logan raised his eyebrows. "Since when does the great and cynical Max willingly watch chick flicks?"

Max rolled her eyes at him as she pulled a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a tank top out of her drawers. "It's an addiction, Logan. Blame Tasha. Whenever Colie was getting over one of her break-ups Tasha would go out and rent a bunch of movies."

"Uh-huh. Max, you do realize it's 50 out?" ::A/N: That's Fahrenheit. I can't do the conversion to Celsius.::

Max looked at him. "You're point? That's not cold."

"Max, normal people don't wear tank tops in 50 degree weather."

"Some people do."

"Max."

Max sighed and grabbed a shirt hanging on the doorknob. Logan paused. "Max, isn't that my shirt?"

Max shrugged it on. "I can't win with you, can I Logan?"

She marched off down the stairs, calling down to the other girls, "When are we leaving?"

Logan followed her, shaking his head.


	13. At the sound of the beep...

A/N: wow. I've typed a lot of words. ::tsktsktsk:: it's the unlucky chapter 13. Not like I've ever gotten this far before, but, well, I'm feeling especially strange. Anyway, just a reminder: REVIEW!

As Max entered the main hall, she saw a great surprise. "KIM!" she yelled, running to wrap her 'older sister' in a hug. The girl quickly hugged her back, not letting go when Max tried to pull away.

"Hey girl…" she turned to Tasha and grinned. "Nobody tol' Maxie I was comin'?"

That made Max laugh. "Nobody's been telling Max anything."

"Hey!" Sam yelled from the other room. "We told you about the movie before we left!"

"No, Logan did!" Max yelled back.

 Logan looked in, confused. "What?"

"Nothing."  Kim said, amused. "So, man-who-is-standing-in-my-house, who are you?"

Logan grinned at her. "I guess you're Kim."

"Yup. I am Kim. Any intention of telling me who you are?"

"Not really. Chances are that if you're like you roommates you'll try to maul me."

It was silent --excluding Max's muffled laughter-- for a second before Sam called out, "He's Logan!"

Kim turned to face the direction Sam's voice was coming from. "Cale?"

"Yup!"

"_The_ Logan Cale? Maxie's Logan?"

"Yeah, don't kill him though!"

"Why not?"

"Because then Max would get mad."

Kim nodded, pursing her lips. "Good reason, I guess."

Max grinned. "I think so."

"No broken bones, but you are allowed to slap him." Tasha inserted.

Max made a face as Logan grabbed her and moved her in front of him as a shield. "No hurting me!" he called.

Max pulled away. "Are we leaving or not? Was this a hoax to just get me out of bed?"

Nicole poked her head in at that moment. "No, we're waiting for me."

Kim grinned. "She lost her shirt that goes with her top."

Nicole walked in, spinning. She donned a forest green shirt and off-white jeans. Max sighed. "When does the movie start?"

They heard Sam rusting in the next room. "I don't know!" she yelled. "I can't read the dumb newspaper listings!"

They all cracked up, and Tasha went to help her read it. "Now-ish." She stated back to them.

Max sighed and slipped off the shirt she had worn down. It was a light shirt the color of her pants. "Colie, just wear this. I don't care, I want to _go!_"

Logan looked onto the scene dejectedly. "Max, whose shirt is that?"

Max turned to him. "Logan, just because you don't want to go doesn't mean you can make us miss it and you are coming anyway, okay?"

Logan sighed. "Not going to argue."

Nicole finished adjusting the shirt and grabbed her purse. "Ready!"

Tasha walked in, dragging Sam who was still looking at the paper. "How did you figure that out?"

"Right, Sam, come on. Leave the paper." Colie laughed and followed them out.

"I want to drive!" she called.

Max smiled and watched them walk out, then grabbed Logan to prevent his escape. "Come on, Logan. It'll be fun. I'll let you sit next to Sam."

Logan chuckled. "Max, are you trying to set me up?"

"No, just… well, yeah, but it's my duty as a girl!"

"Fine. But you also buy me popcorn."

Kim called out to the girls as she heard the car start. "There are six of us, we can't take the convertible!"

A car turned off and there was a pause before another started up.

Kim grinned. "Welcome, Logan."

Max laughed and they walked out.

As the door shut and locked behind them, an answering machine on a nearby table beeped.

Voice 1: Hi, you've reached this number, if you want to leave a message if you don't then hang up.

_Voice 2: That's rude!_

_Voice 1: Shut up! I'm still taping!_

_Voice 2: Oops—_

_::scuffle over phone::_

_Voice 3: Ignore this insanity.  Leave a message after the beep._

The machine beeped loudly and an uncertain voice filled the empty room. "Hi, you don't know me but I have here someone I think you know. This was the first number on his cell phone so I called it. Anyway, I found a guy, about 22, blond, skinny, kind of cute. He just passed out, but he was a bit incoherent. He crashed his BMW in front of my house. I think he said his name was Alec…"

**REVIEW**! I HAVE **THE REST OF THE STORY** OUTLINED, SO THE MORE YOU **REVIEW** THE MORE **INSPIRED** I'LL BE TO WRITE, ESPICIALLY ON THIS **4 DAY WEEKEND** I HAVE. SO **REVIEW**, PEOPLE, AND YOU'LL BE **REWARDED**.


	14. Saved by the answering machine

A/N: Here we go, chapter fourteen. You guys are great; I never thought I'd get this many reviews. I just want to say thanks to **marz** and **ketchupdragoness**, both of whom beta for me, and are still my friends and encourage me-- despite my horrendous spelling and grammar—to keep writing this. Even though it means more work for them. Go read their stuff.

The five girls emerged from the dark theater laughing loudly as the reenacted parts of the movie. "Oh my god, that was great." Kim said. The others agreed. Suddenly Max looked around. 

"Hey, where's Logan?" she asked. 

Sam shrugged. "Don't know. He ran out during the first scene… I think his cell went off. He didn't come back to sit with us, so I assumed he was sitting in the back." 

Max sighed. "For gods sake—Logan, where are you?" she murmured, scanning through the crowds. She spotted him by a door to the outside, on his cell phone. "Hold on, guys. I'll meet you at the car." 

Max walked away from them and up to Logan. He was turned facing the wall and hadn't noticed her. "Uhhuh… The same guy as the bust last year?… Oh, use the second connection, password three… yeah, I know… I'll be back by end of this week… what do you mean? Nothing can't wait that long… oh, God… You didn't say it was that kind of situation… well, she's okay, but I don't want-… Yeah, okay… okay… anything new?… R.3naBc67—that's via John?… just send them to me, I'll go over them tonight… Yes, I'll look for a flight… Okay. See you soon, then." He hung up his cell and turned around, almost running into Max. "Oh, hey Max." he said nervously as he ran his fingers through his hair. 

"Hey, Logan. Anything you want to share?" 

"Max, um… I have to talk to you." 

"Yes you do. We are DEFINITLY talking." 

"In the car." 

"Fine. Come on." Max took Logan's arm in a tight grip and lead him out to the car where the girls were. "Let's go. I'm driving." She said coldly. 

The girls looked suspiciously at Logan but simply piled into the back of the car. Sam watched as Logan stared at them, sending clear messages that having him sit in the front seat was not a good idea. "Tasha," Sam suggested, "Why don't you sit up front with Max?" 

Tasha nodded. "Fine." She climbed out, but as she passed Logan she whispered into his ear. "you may have gotten us to like you, but we will kill you if you hurt her. and i'll willingly help." 

Logan sighed and settled in the back of the car. Tasha climbed into the front seat. 

The rest of the drive home was silent. 

*** 

Max watched the girls climb out of the car and walk slowly up to the house, leaving Logan and she alone. "Logan." 

"Max." he replied calmly. 

"What are you being sent?" 

Logan sighed to himself. "Max, I need to keep up with my work. I haven't been back in two weeks and everything is building up. I need to get back." 

"Logan, no. You can't go back… your work can wait." 

"No it can't, Max. You know that. People's lives are on the line and the longer I wait the more will die." 

"You've gone this entire time without Eyes Only." 

"Not really." 

"What do you mean, Logan? I thought your workaholic tendencies were cured; I thought that, for once, you friends meant more to you than your work. You haven't talked about work since you got here." 

"I didn't want to worry you, Max. You weren't in the best shape. You're better now, the girls can handle you." 

"So you don't feel tied down anymore? You've 'fixed' our lives and now you can live with yourself?" Max's voice was harsh and cold. 

"Max, don't do that." 

"Don't do what, Logan? Don't make you face the truth?" 

"Max, I'm leaving as soon as I can get a flight. We can leave on good terms or bad, but I'm leaving. Now, I would like to leave on good terms." 

"You want me to be happy you're leaving?" Max asked incredulously. "Are you insane?" 

"Max, you don't need me here anymore. You were fine with your life before me, and you'll do fine now. Plus, it's not like we won't see each other anymore." 

"Logan, I just-" Max was cut off by Sam slamming open the front door and running down to them. "Max!" 

"What?" Max began to panic, all thoughts of Logan forgotten. 

"It's Alec! There's a message…" 

Max jumped out of the car and sprinted into the building, leaving a hard-breathing Sam outside with an annoyed and confused Logan.


	15. Loopholes

A/n: They're getting shorter and short, I know. I don't have a lot of time these days—schoolwork and such. The next chapter'll be a while, but it'll be up, at most, in two weeks. So hang in there.

Max walked into the house, hearing a message playing on the machine. A woman's worried voice was speaking though the crackling machine as Tasha was standing over it. Seeing Max, she restarted the message.

"Hi, you don't know me but I have here someone I think you know. This was the first number on his cell phone so I called it. Anyway, I found a guy, about 22, blond, skinny, kind of cute. He just passed out, but he was a bit incoherent. He crashed his BMW in front of my house. I think he said his name was Alec…I'm not taking him to hospital, he's okay. I'm going to take care of him from my clinic unless there's something I need to know about him. It's just a bit of a bump on the head. Call me at the clinic, I'm there 24/7, and there's always someone up to answer the phone. It's 1-345-257-4367. Ask for Dr. Michelle Katz, you'll get right through." The voice ended with a high-pitched beep and the mechanical voice came on. "This message was left at 11:25 AM, Sunday, April 3rd--" Max shut off the machine and closed her eyes. She put her hands to the side of her head and groaned. 

Tasha looked at her. "Max, hon, are you aiight?"

"Yeah, Tash, just gimme a sec okay?"

Tasha nodded and slipped out of the room. Max sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. She stood up and grabbed a hair band off the table. She felt the need to do something with her hands. She punched in the number and held the phone to her ear. She cradled it between her head and shoulder and began to put her hair into an intricate bun as it rang.

"Hello, you have reached the Hallowell Clinic. How may I help you?" A perky voice answered immediately after picking up the phone.

Max resisted the urge to slam the phone back down.  "Um… yeah. Can I speak with Michelle Katz?"

"Yes. May I ask who is speaking?"

Max paused. "Tell her she called me earlier."

There was a click and for a second Max thought the woman had hung up on her. "Hello?" a different voice came over the phone, a slight British accent tracing her speech. 

Max swallowed. "Hey. I'm calling about-"

The woman cut her off. "Alec, right?"

"Yeah. He okay?"

The other woman's voice was naturally clear and crisp, meaning business. Still, Max thought she caught a bit of softness in the woman's voice as she spoke. "He's fine. I would like to meet you. He seemed very interested in whether or not I had called you."

"Really?" Max asked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, when I told him I had called this number, he had a bit of a breakdown. Got very upset, said not to let you know where to find him. Now, don't get me wrong--and I don't want to pry--but why is the first number on his cell the people he least wants to talk to?"

Max sighed. The thought of Alec not wanting her to find him…it tore her heart out. She sighed. "I'm his ex."

"Ex? Ex wife?"

"Yeah. Ex girlfriend; ex almost fiancé; ex girl who he lived with for almost a year; ex girl who had her heart mended and broken by him."

There was silence over the phone, "Ah."

Max grinned to herself, biting her lower lip. "Yeah. You pretty much said it."

The woman took a deep breath. "Well, I have a proposition."

"Yes?" Max asked, straightening.

"I'm not allowed to tell you where _he_ is—patient's wishes—but I can help you."

Max began to pace. "You can?"

"I can tell you how to find me."

**_REVIEW!_**


	16. Exit Mr. Cale

A/N: Sorry this took so long, I've been really busy with school. The next update may take a while too, but don't fear—it _will_ come.

___________________

Max sighed and said, "What if I don't want to find him?"

"Then you don't have to come." Michelle Katz replied over the phone. Max paused; the other woman seemed to take this as consent, as she continued. "I'm in Boston. If you tell me where you'll be coming from, I'll give you directions from there."

Max nodded, forgetting the other woman couldn't see her. Catching herself, she audibly consented, "Okay." Taking a piece of paper she jotted down the directions and hung up the phone.

Max walked back outside, almost in shock. She found Sam sitting in the car with Logan, speaking with him quietly. Max walked up to them and tapped Sam on the shoulder, who quickly turned to her. "Max!" She exclaimed. "What was that? WHO was that? Is Alec okay? Is he coming back?" She rushed the questions at Max.

Max held up her hands as a sign to stop. "Alec's okay. He's in…he's in Boston, and he doesn't want me to find him."

Sam paused. Logan was hiding somewhere behind her. "So…are you going?"

Max shook her head, "I don't know. He doesn't want me to, and I don't know if I want to. I mean, I do, but maybe It's not worth it."

Sam looked at her, cocking her head. "Max, babe, what aren't you telling me?"

Max bit her lower lip. "I'll tell you later. Inside." When Sam didn't move, Max sighed. "Sam, I need to talk to Logan."

Sam started. "Right!" She exclaimed. She climbed out of the car and turned to the house. She rushed inside.

Max and Logan watched her go. Logan crossed his fingers, hoping Max had had some time to calm down. 

She hadn't.

As Sam closed the door behind her, the sound of the clicking door was mixed with the sharp sound of backhand across a face.

[[NEXT DAY]]

Max was inside her room, packing a bag. She heard Sam and Nicole in the hall, saying goodbye to Logan. Max was planning on ignoring him—somewhere inside of herself, she found herself believing that if she pretended he wasn't leaving, he wouldn't. That part of her, she considered, was also the part that said she should run when facing emotions. Which is what lost Alec, after all.

With that in mind, she closed her suitcase and walked to the stairs.

Logan saw her at the top of the stairs and smiled at her. He held out his arms to hug her. Max sighed and walked down the stairs, not stopping until she reached Logan. Wrapping her arms around him, she smiled at the feeling of warmth and safety that encompassed her. "Logan…" she murmured, resting her head on his chest.

He smiled into her hair, "Max, you'll be fine."

Sam and Nicole disappeared, Sam muttering something about calling a cab for him.

"I know; I was made that way. It's you I'm worried about."

Logan chuckled, remembering. He kissed the top of her head. "Just let me go." He whispered.

Max smiled and pulled away. "Call me as soon as you get back, okay?" she chided.

Logan nodded. "Yes ma'am." He paused. "You going to Boston anytime soon?"

Max sighed. "I think so."

Logan hugged her again. "Good luck," he said, so quietly only she could hear.

Outside a horn honked, announcing the arrival of his cab. He detangled himself from her, and smiled lightly at her.

And then he was gone.

Review!!


	17. Follow the Boston traffic circles

A/N: Wow, okay. So when I said 'not soon' I lied. Oh well. Anyway, here's part seventeen! (you know, when I did the outline for this story Max and Alec had kids by now. And were married. But then My muse went all evil and she didn't marry him. So now I'm still figuring out where it's going.)

__________________________________________________________________________

Sam, Nicole, and Kim all reached out to hug Max. Their "Be careful"s and "Call us as soon as you get there!"s were muffled by held back tears. Max hugged them back, promising that she'd be fine and that she would call them everyday. She looked around.

"Where's Tasha?" she asked, confused. 

Nicole gestured outside. Max smiled, knowing that Tasha would want to say her own goodbye. Each of the girls gave Max one last hug before her journey.

Max waved to them and stepped outside, where Tasha was standing by her Jeep, which she was lending Max. Max grinned and walked up to her. "What lecture do I get from you?"

Tasha looked at her. "Well, have you gotten the 'be careful!' or the 'call us'?"

"Both."

"Ooh, difficult. I'll go with the 'Alec's a jerk and don't let him get to you' speech."

Max laughed and hugged Tasha. Tasha smiled, sniffing back tears, and kissed her on the cheek. "Any game plan?"

Max shrugged. "Go to Boston, find Alec, beat him up or kiss him, haven't decided which."

Tasha smiled. "Well, don't kill him. Just… maim him. We like you out of jail."

Max sighed and hugged Tasha back. "You sure you don't want to come?"

Tasha shook her head. "No, I think this should just be you."

***

Max sighed as she fiddled with the radio on the dashboard. Finding a station playing decent pre-pulse music she turned it up. Glaring in front of her car, namely at the huge traffic jam, she began to tap out a beat on the steering wheel. Humming under her breath, she attempted to calm her nerves. A car next to her honked and she jumped. The car in front of her was moving, a fact she had missed. Right, she thought, I'm loosing it. I need to _focus_. Let's see I'm looking for… Max paused. Grabbing a map of the passenger's seat she glanced at it, memorizing the path to the clinic. 

Looking up she saw the street looming directly in front of her. Cursing she pulled into the street, causing the same car to honk at her. She sighed and looked ahead, looking for the building she assumed would be rundown. Instead a clean white three-story house loomed behind the mailbox, and Max raised her eyebrows. It wasn't what she was expecting, but who was she to complain? She was _there_, and she'd only gotten lost once**.** She absolutely hated Boston roads, with all the traffic circles. Space for one second and you'd be on the other side of the river. Admittedly she wasn't _in_ Boston, she was in Cambridge, but the roads were just as confusing. 

Max parked in front of the house and walked nervously up to the doorway. She reached out to ring the old-fashioned doorbell—did anyone actually _have_ those anymore? —but the door swung open as a woman rushed out. Seeing Max, she came to a dead stop.

Max, too, was in shock. She stared at the woman, around 20, in astonishment. The face was different, a little, and the hair was a slightly redder tint… she was taller and wearing makeup. Still, there was no denying the features. "_TINGA?_" she screeched. 


	18. Wait... I'm not... you're not... WHAT?

A/N: Okay, here's the dealio. Ben was twinned with Alec, who is not insane. Therefore Tinga could be twinned with Tara, and Max could be twinned with another girl. The other girl could be normal, with the same DNA, just not all of Max's. So Max could still be the unique one and the one that was 'special'. Got it? So don't go asking me about it, 'cause I just s'plained. 

I just want to thank all of you who've reviewed—this has blown my mind! It's great to know that people not only read my things but care enough to review… if I break 250 by the end of this story (5 or so more chapters) I'll probably do a sequal. Hell, I'll do one anyway. But review, PLEASE!

The woman stared back at her in equal shock. "_453_?"

They both paused as they realized what had just been said. Max put out her hand. "Max. 452."

The woman paused. "Wait. Max Guevara?"

Max nodded, waiting. "And you are?"

"657. Tara…. But come in, come in. Meesh's has been waiting for you to show up. You found it okay?"

Max nodded, still slightly shocked. It was like meeting Alec all over again. "I'm… here to see… Alec…" she mumbled.

"Yes, I know. He's in the back. But Meesh wants to talk to talk to you first."

"Meesh?"

"Michelle. The woman you talked too."

Max nodded. "Right…"

Tara grabbed Max's arm. "Come in. She's upstairs."

Max looked around, taking in her surroundings. A young girl ran through the house, at a supernatural speed, and soon was followed by an older boy who looked a lot like her. She didn't get much of a chance to look around, as Tara was set in taking upstairs _that instant_. She found herself at a thick wooden door, pushed open, with Tara standing expectantly by it. 

"Hello?" a voice, recognizable as the woman on the phone, called out.

Max braced herself and walked in. A woman she didn't recognize sat at the desk. "Max." she said shortly. "452."

The woman looked up sharply. "452?"

Max nodded. "I'm here about Alec."

The woman blushed a deep shade or red. "Of course, I should have known. I mean, it should have been obvious… he just didn't mention you were an X5."

"He's mentioned me?"

"Well, he had a bit of a headache after he hit, spazzed when one of the girls came in to help him."

"Spazzed?"

"Thought she was you," the woman elaborated. "Got quite confused. Scared poor Missy half to death."

Max sighed. "Whatever. Can I see him?"

Michelle nodded. "He's right down the hall. Come on, I'll take you."


	19. Little girls, teenage boys, and a pissed...

**A/N: Okay, we are drawing to an end here. Is anyone still reading? The number of reviews are dwindling in number per chapters… should I not continue?**

Alec sat on the ground, holding a little girl in his lap. She squealed and squirmed as another girl, in her early teens, laughed and tickled. "Tickle attack!" The older girl yelled. The little girl finally broke free, running for the door without a second glance.

"Meesh!" She yelled, "Lana's being mean!"

Lana's eyes shot to the door, seeing the people standing there for the first time. "Um… sorry, Anna," she said awkwardly. "Come on, let's find Janie and play outside."

Alec was facing the wall, not having seen the two women because he was now focusing on the little boy frozen in the corner. "Meesh?" he questioned, not looking up.

"Yeah?"

"You gotta teach the girls not to torture each other. It scares Mike."

The women laughed as the little boy suddenly stood up and wandered out the door, seeming fully recovered.

Alec froze at the laughter. He visibly tensed and slowly turned around. "Missy?" he whispered, trying to convince himself. However he couldn't deny what he saw. Alec coughed and grinned weakly. "Hey, Max."

Max glared at him. "Alec," she replied just as coolly. "Huh. What are you doing here?"

Michelle looked between the two. "Um… I'll be in my office. Yell if you need me." She turned and walked out, closing the door behind her.

Max and Alec just stared at each other, one guilty look and one raged. Alec stood up. "I was going to come back." 

"Really, Alec? Somehow I don't believe you." The two of them began to almost unconsciously circle. 

"I was… I was going to take a little trip to calm down and come back-"

Max cut him off. "A little trip _across the country_ in _my car_, Alec?" She reached out with a right hook, aiming to kill.

Alec intercepted it with his hand, swinging her around and pressing her arm against her back. "Okay, so maybe I should have asked before taking the car."

Max kicked back, making Alec stumble and release her. "That's it!" she exclaimed, marching out into the hall.

Alec sighed to himself and ran after her. He reached the corner and looked at the two pubescent boys who were just staring at each other. "Tom, Jake. Brunette, pissed as hell—which way?"

Tom pointed to the door that went to the back yard. "That way, boss." He said jokingly. 

Alec cursed under his breath and sprinted out, hoping she hadn't gotten to far. He found her stalking out towards the street. He blurred up behind her, grabbing her arms. "Max, listen to me."

Max spun around, kicking. Alec found himself leaning away from the defensive and into the offensive. A few well aimed kicks, a couple punches that hit their mark, and they were both on the ground—with Alec on top. He pinned her hands over her head, and braced himself. "Listen to me and I'll let you up."

Alec raised an eyebrow, watching her. She grimaced at him and nodded shortly. He stood up, releasing her.

Max stood and brushed herself off. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she immediately missed the warmth he provided. Max turned around, taking the unwanted tingly feeling and turning it into malice. Crossing her arms and glaring at him, she waited. He fleetingly wondered if this was how she was before he knew her, when she was still cold and hard and untouchable. "I'm sorry." He began. "I didn't mean to leave. I just… I panicked. I didn't know what to do. I thought that the only way we could stay together was to get married, and I though that, maybe, if you didn't want to marry you didn't want to be with me."

Max visibly softened. "You idiot," she said, sighing resignedly.

Alec looked at her, silently asking her to let him finish. "So then I went to… clear my mind. I just started driving. And next thing I knew, I had hit the coast and there wasn't anywhere else to go. So I found a cheap bar and drank myself into a stupor. And then, next thing I know, I'm here. I was planning on hitting the coast, turning around and coming back but it didn't quite… work."

Max bit her lip, making sure he was finished. "God, Alec. I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make you leave; I just didn't know how to react."

Alec just looked at her. "So… what do we do?"

Max looked at him. "I don't know."

**A/N2: Just a reminder…. Review if you want me to continue….**


	20. Confessions and glass buildings

**A/N: WHOO! I finally uploaded! GO ME! I know it's short, but I feel bad about not having the time to write, so I figured I'd write what I had.**

Max stared out at the city of Boston. It was the most beautiful city in the US—the pulse hadn't changed that. Max looked wonderingly out at it, noticing the differences between it and Seattle. It had been ages since she had found herself atop the space needle.

The metal bars vibrated slightly as another person walked across it and settled next to her. "Though I'd find you here."

Max nodded. "It's so beautiful."

Alec glanced over the edge. "Max?" he questioned lightly. When she didn't reply he continued. "Why do you like the highest places to much? The needle in Seattle, the radio tower at home, and the first place you head in Boston is the top of the Hancock building."

Max shrugged. "It's like… the high place."

"Excuse me?"

"Ben used to tell us stories."

Alec suddenly seemed to understand. "493?"

Max shook her head violently. "Not 493. Ben. He wasn't 493, ever. That was the problem…"

Alec pulled her against him. "Tell me." He said, softly. "Who was Ben?"

"Ben was… a human. He was a human sent to do a soldiers job. He was a caged animal, lost, confused, captured, tamed, and let loose…" Max trailed off.

"And he couldn't handle it?"

"He started killing… obsessively."

Alec started to stroke her hair, almost unconsciously as he began to act the part of the calming lover he was at heart. "I'm sorry-"

"No." Max cut him off. "You're not, yet. You don't… you don't know…" He voice broke. "He was killing. He left a trail… he pulled out their teeth, tattooed his barcode on their neck… it was horrible… the pictures, the bodies…"

Alec held her closer, trying in vain to protect her from the demons of her mind. "Teeth?" he asked, confused.

Max nodded. "For the Blue Lady." She paused, and then elaborated realizing that he hardly knew anything of her group, nor she of his. "The virgin Mary. He believed in her… he needed to redeem himself, he thought it was keeping him sane, alive, and free… it was what was controlling him. He would take their teeth and sacrifice them to her, as a demonstration of his will." Max reached to Alec's arms, removing them as she adjusted herself to sit in his lap. He waited for her to settle, and wrapped his arms around her again. 

"I couldn't let him continue." Max sighed. "He was killing… and I promised him Manticore would never get him…"

Alec stared at the woman he loved. "You killed him." He whispered. 

Max blinked back tears as the words sent a gently breeze against the back of her neck. She braced herself for his reaction.


	21. Great stories to tell the friends

A/N: It's the last part. The end. And yes, if you're scrambling to ID the ending, it's an Ever After copy. Not my idea, but hey, I think it works. 'Sides it's a kick ass movie. Drew Barrymore rules.

"Yes." Her voice was soft and quiet. 

He sighed. "I know."

Max stared at Alec. "Wh- what?"

He sighed and kissed her hair. "I'm know. I'm sorry, Max."

She blinked, confused. "For what? You're not mad?"

"How could I be mad, Max? You did what you had to do. It would be like you apologizing over Rachael. It's something we don't have any control over."

Max nodded and they sat there for a few moments, contemplating. She rubbed her eyes. "I'm sorry I freaked out on you."

"Well, you didn't know—"

"Not just now, Alec. When you… when you proposed."

He pulled away to look her in the eyes. "Max… what are-"

She put a finger to his lips. "You scared me. You reminded me of everything Zack had forbidden and encouraged. I just got so frightened." She removed her hand and let him speak.

"Maxie… what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I promise not to freak out on you in certain situations."

"Like what?" Alec asked, suddenly both exited and frightened.

"Like, say, if you decide to give it another go."

Alec smirked slightly, masking his insecurity in his sarcasm, letting the old Alec shine through. "Max, you going to have to be more specific."

"If you ask me to marry you again." Max said, grinning. "Though judging by your sudden oblivion, I may have to take matters into my own hands."

Alec grabbed her hands. "Nuh-uh. That gets to be my job. Male pride and all."

They both chuckled, but Max abruptly stopped as Alec lowered himself onto one knee. "Max, marry me."

Max grinned. "This'll make a great story, you know. 'So, how did you two get engaged?' 'Well, he found me on top of the Hancock building-"

Alec groaned and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her down with him. Pinning her to the roof, he grinned. "You're avoiding the question. You said you wouldn't do that."

Max kissed his lips lightly. "Good point…" She trailed off, and he cocked an eyebrow. "Yes, Alec, I will marry you."

Alec kissed her, and she kissed him back, and they didn't care about their ending. Whether they would live happily ever after or not, all that matter was that they lived.

the end.


	22. A Final Note From Your Author

Oh, god, it's… finished. What do I do now? I mean, now… I have a whole summer ahead of me to write. Hmm, let's ponder… SEQUAL!

Just a little preview of what might be coming out next September…

Max, Cindy, Tasha, Kim, Sam, and Nicole walk down the street, immune to the catcalls that follow them. Max suddenly stops and squeals. "That's it! That's the dress!" The others look at it, taking in the details.

_A long dress, no tail, low cut and white; tight bodice, V cut into the skirt, strapless and almost backless. Plain, no lace, frills, or stones, and absolutely stunning. No veil, of course, because one can't be too conventional._

The five troop inside, gabbing. Outside, a tall blond man lounges against a forest green jeep. He gets inside as they disappear and pulls out a cell phone. "This is Marks… yes. Yes, I've found her. Four other girls, she'll be hard to get. Yes, ma'am, I'll watch her. Don't worry, we'll get 452. She's just a girl-" 

_The phone conversation is abruptly cut off and he quickly stuffs the phone in his back pocket. Logan, Alec, and two other unidentified men come out from a coffee shop down the street. "Gregg!" Alec calls. "Did you get the office?"_

Gregg Marks smiles. "Yeah, Alec. No worries, I'm clear to stay here as long as necessary."

Time for the THANK YOUS!

Thank you to Mer who betas and Linz who does the final beta (I haven't got the nerve to post a chapter of this w/out Ms. Grammer Queen's approval) and to Max, despite his mocking of the little slip-up of my male tough attitude, since he reviewed every single chapter despite not having S2 and shipping M/L. To all of you who reviewed, especially Pari 'cause she kicks ass with her reviews and makes it a lot easier for us writers to learn what we're doing wrong. To all the rest of you who encouraged me to keep going with this despite it's ever going length, and to those of you who read it in the first place even if you **didn't** review. ::glare:: And then I need to thank… erm… yeah, I think that's it.

FINAL DISCLAIMER: I own… ::starts counting on fingers:: Tasha, Colie, Sam, Kim, Dr. Meesh, Mike, Missy, Lana, Jamie, Anna, Tara, the concept of Drive Me Crazy 2 (which I almost called Drove Me Crazy) and the plot. I own their house and their lives and their relationships. And I clearly need more fingers. Basically, anyone you recognize and/or anything that sounds familiar from elsewhere **isn't** mine. Pretty basic, all right? James Cameron, (insert first name here) Eglee, producers and writers of DA, creators of Drive Me Crazy, writers who did the last part of Ever After. That's pretty much all their stuff that you recognize.


	23. WAR, PEOPLE! WE WILL WIN!

God damnit, people, they want to kill our show.  
  
Will we let them?  
  
HELL, NO!  
  
  
  
-Dark Angel fans cannot be stopped, cannot be traced. And we're the only ones putting up a fight.-  
  
Dark Angel Nation: United we stand.  
  
They won't take us down.  
  
http://adinfinit.net/danation/  
  
Let them know that we won't give in easily. They must take us down fighting.  
  
M/L, M/A, and whatever else there is out there… we must work together. Put aside differences, put aside fights… We all have the same goal here.  
  
Dark Angel WILL return. 


End file.
